Specifications

    Operators: Edwards
    Status: Demolished
    Opened: 12/74
    Closed: 2001
    Current Use: NA   
    Screens: 4
    Seating: Slope

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Specifications

    Operators: Edwards/REG/Starlight Cinemas
    Status: Open
    Opened: 6/92
    Closed: NA
    Current Use: Film/First Run  
    Screens: 8
    Seating: Slope (1,800 seats)

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Edwards’ Triangle Square 8 opened in the Spring of 1992, as the chain’s 34th venue. Built as an anchor of a $65 million shopping complex, the venue’s history mirrored that of the center’s rise and fall.

The theatre’s beginning came with a late 80′s, city backed, neighborhood revitalization project that involved a controversial eviction of small area merchants, through eminent domain. A block of Harbor Blvd. was cleared and a large multi level shopping plaza, with subterranean parking, was constructed on the triangular shaped parcel. The center featured a Pavilions grocery store, Virgin Megastore, and Niketown as major anchors, with a host of trendy outlets occupying the remaining units. Initially an area “hot spot” Triangle Square enjoyed a few years of success, before entering a period of sharp decline. Following the closure of both Niketown and the grocery store, the center’s decline accelerated, eventually reaching a 60% vacancy rate by 2007.

The theatre was built on the top level, occupying most of the center’s upper western side. While designed in a similar fashion to most of Edwards’ early 90′s builds, the Triangle Square 8 featured a large cafe along the southern side of the venue. Offering gourmet treats, pizza, and an expanded gaming arcade, the cafe area was intended to keep in line with the center’s youth oriented trendiness. Unfortunately, the auditoriums, all located down a long, violet lit, side hallway, were rather substandard and small. Mirroring the Triangle Square shopping center, the theatre saw it’s peak years come and go within a few years of opening. As a result this subpar business, the formerly notable cafe was converted in to a party rental room and the arcade was scaled back to a more standard size. By the new millennium, the theatre was one of the only major tenants left in the complex and, despite the lack of local cinema competition, the Triangle Square 8 had lost much of it’s drawing power.

In the Fall of 2007, the center’s new owner announced plans to raze the property in favor of a condominium development. In an interesting twist, the city of Costa Mesa verbally backed the plan, stating that the area needed to move away from major corporate tenants and towards a more local friendly, neighborhood concept; a reversal of what the city had instigated some two decades earlier. As with the formerly trendy Triangle Square, the theatre awaits it’s impending demise.

Update: In the spring of 2010, Edwards (REG) chose not to renew their lease on the Triangle Square. Starlight Cinemas, a small southern california based chain, took over operation of the theatre in June 2010. 

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Specifications

    Operators: Edwards
    Status: Demolished
    Opened: 12/25/81
    Closed: 2001
    Current Use:  
    Screens: 4
    Seating: Slope

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Specifications

    Operators: Independent
    Status: Closed
    Opened: 5/18/07
    Closed: 10/07
    Current Use: Fairgrounds  
    Screens: 1
    Seating: Drive-in 300 Car

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Some ten years after the last Orange County drive-in closed, a group of entrepreneurs/enthusiasts attempted to bring the venue format back to life with a modern twist. The novel concept involved a temporary theatre, located on the Orange County Fairgrounds, that could be stored away when not in use.  

Utilizing a 65′ x 33′ inflatable PVC fabric screen, the Star Vu drive-in operated as a 300 car first run venue by night and gave way to regular fairground use by day. Despite the temporary nature of this set up, a traditional 35mm projector, FM audio broadcast system, and concession stand were in place on the site.

Unfortunately, the Star Vu quickly fell victim to both traditional drive-in pitfalls and the many issues that came with it’s unique format. After facing a Summer of inclement weather and numerous forced hiatuses, due to competing fairground usage, the Star Vu closed in the fall of 2007.       

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Specifications

    Operators: National/Mann/Edwards
    Status: Demolished
    Opened: 3/13/68
    Closed: 1999
    Current Use: 
    Screens: 1/2
    Seating: Slope (1174/599 & 566 seats)

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Spring 2008 Demolition

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Specifications

    Operators: National/Mann/Edwards
    Status: Demolished
    Opened: 11/25/70
    Closed: 2000
    Current Use: 
    Screens: 1
    Seating: 700 Slope (partial tiered)

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In November of 1970, National General opened the Plaza Theatre as a sister venue to their South Coast Plaza cinema. Built as a free standing structure, directly behind the established theatre, the two buildings were roughly fifteen feet apart, but maintained somewhat separate operational identities; each faced a different street and utilized separate box offices. However, the Plaza was listed as a second screen (third after the South Coast’s twinning) in newspapers and generally considered a single venue by patrons.

While the Plaza’s exterior suggested a relatively small, generic, box style theatre, the auditorium was actually quite impressive. Seating 700, the orange curtain clad auditorium was broken in to two sections, with a traditional sloped floor in the front and a tiered,  ”stadium”, seating style in the rear half. While this early use of stadium seating predated, what would become the industry standard two and a half decades later, the design was more the result of space limitations than foresight. A fact that was clearly demonstrated in the venue’s extremely shallow lobby and undersized restroom facilities. Despite the property’s restraints, the theatre was designed with an emphasis on the auditorium, creating one of the era’s more notably functional venues.

Shortly after Mann Theatres purchased National General, in 1975, the older theatre was twinned, resulting in the Plaza II being renamed the Plaza III. Fortunately, the Plaza was not remodeled, as were most of Mann’s National General acquisitions (usually in a less than agreeable manner). In 1981, the theatre changed hands again and ran under the ownership of Edwards, until the new millennium. While remaining a popular movie going destination well in to the mega-plex era, the Plaza eventually fell victim to progress, with the opening of Edwards’ near bye Metro Pointe 12 theatre. After sitting vacant for nearly eight years, the theatre was razed, in March 2008, to make room for a new commercial development.

 Trivia

The Plaza opened with the feature “It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World”

The theatre had a special VIP pre opening screening of “Rio Lobo”, featuring a champagne reception with the film’s star, John Wayne. The event’s master of ceremonies was Marvin Miller, from the early 70′s television show “The Millionaire”.

Despite sitting vacant for a considerable period of time, the theatre was fully equipped and virtually “operations ready” up until the day it was demolished. 

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Spring 2008 Demolition

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Specifications

    Operators: Independent/Pacific
    Status: Demolished
    Opened: 7/8/49
    Closed: 2/2/76
    Current Use: NA
    Screens: 1
    Seating: Drive-in

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Specifications

    Operators: Edwards/REG 
    Status: Open
    Opened:
    Closed:
    Current Use: Film/First Run  
    Screens: 12
    Seating: Stadium

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Specifications

Operators: Independent/Edwards
Status: Demolished
Opened: 11/04/48
Closed: 1997
Current Use:
Screens: 1
Seating: Slope (925 seats)

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Specifications

    Operators: Edwards
    Status: Closed
    Opened: 12/25/70
    Closed: 11/11/98
    Current Use:  
    Screens: 1/2
    Seating: Slope

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